Female Agency and Hybrid Identity of Beepathu in the Film Thallumala

Peer-Reviewed
The Criterion

The Criterion: An International Journal in English ISSN: 0976-8165

Open Access

Film & Literature

Female Agency and Hybrid Identity of Beepathu in the Film Thallumala

Ramlath A, Dr. Najeeb P M
Volume / Issue
Vol. 17, Issue 1 · February 2026

Pages
765-775

Article ID
2026V17N1015

Abstract

Films are not merely an entertainment medium but rather acts as a conduit of cultural change in the society. Malayalam films witnessed many experimentations in style and theme. But when it comes to the depiction of female characters, very few films succeeded in bringing out constructive ideas. Thallumala, a film directed by Khalid Rahman stands out as a symbol of deconstructive representation of gender roles and female agency. The female lead, Beepathu stands as a symbol of transition in the Malayalam film industry. This paper positions Beepathu(Pathu) as a cultural agent who continuously negotiates the fixed identity of female characters especially heroine in the backdrop of Mappila culture. The article tries to analyse how does Pathu exercise female agency within a masculine narrative. It also analyses the ways in which she intervenes in the cultural economy of fame, fashion, conflict and identity.

Keywords

Cultural agentcultural economyfemale agencyfamefashionidentity

Article History

Received
1 September 2026
Accepted
11 February 2026
Published Online
3 February 2026

How to Cite

Ramlath A, Dr. Najeeb P M. “Female Agency and Hybrid Identity of Beepathu in the Film Thallumala.” The Criterion: An International Journal in English, vol. 17, no. 1, Feb. 2026, pp. 765-775. ISSN: 0976-8165. DOI: https://doi.org/10.66376/criterion.v17.n1.52

Back to Vol. 17, Issue 1 · February 2026 The Criterion · ISSN 0976-8165

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